Posted on 02/24/2025 7:11:53 PM PST by TigerClaws
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will put immense pressure on the FDA to ban pharma ads on TV if he’s confirmed as HHS secretary. He has repeatedly advocated to ban drug ads on TV and radio, even as recently as November. The US is one of only two countries (New Zealand being the other) where D2C pharma advertising is completely legal. Kennedy believes lax pharma ad rules have led to an overreliance on prescription medications among Americans.
He also believes pharma companies account for too much of TV ad spending, leaving media companies less likely to cover the sector critically. Prescription drug ads accounted for nearly one-third (30.7%) of commercial time on evening news programs across six major broadcast channels (ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and NBC) last year through Dec. 15, according to data from iSpot.tv cited by the Wall Street Journal.
There will be support for a drug advertising ban across the government. Brendan Carr, Trump’s pick to lead the FCC, said in a November interview that the agency could enforce a ban established by Congress or the HHS. And Vice President-elect JD Vance said on the campaign trail that he would explore stricter regulations of D2C pharma advertising. Bills to restrict or prohibit D2C drug ads have been introduced in the past yet typically lacked support from GOP lawmakers. But if a Republican-led administration pushes for a ban, previously hesitant members of Congress could be swayed.
We think enacting regulations or laws forbidding drug ads on broadcast media will be extremely difficult. The FCC’s move to prohibit cigarette ads on TV and radio in the 1970s will be a precedent for supporters of a pharma ad ban. Pharmaceuticals are a different case though, since they do have evidence-backed health benefits. Lobbying groups representing drug companies and media networks will cite First Amendment protections to prevent an outright ban from materializing.
But pharma companies should still prepare for more scrutiny of their TV commercials. For example, we may see renewed support for a rule that Trump tried to enact during his first term that would have required drug companies to reveal the list prices for medications over $35 per month in TV ads.
More ads with “But wait! Call now and we’ll double the offer!”
Do it, and watch Dinosaur Media collapse, it will be beautiful to see.
I would instead mandate that the side effects, contraindications, and mention of potential death be required to scroll in large text across the screen (not in tiny letters along the bottom) while it’s read out in that enhanced commercial volume in a completely bitchin’ British AI voice.
If they’re gonna have the ads, I think you are spot on. 👌
Holy Ned’s plaque psoriasis! It’s about time.
The prescription medication that one takes should be decided solely by the Dr and the patient, not from some tailored Big Pharma add shown on commercial television. Keep Big Pharma off of my tv!
Even the AMA is against drug ads but there is a first amendment issue that RFK Jr also ran a campaign to protect and defend as a self described constitutionalist.
Side effects such as death. And diahrhea. Or both.
I am a retired Hospital Clinical Pharmacist. I hate those adds on TV. They entice patients to demand their doctor write for this when there is a perfectly equally therapeutic drug available at a fraction of the cost. Those adds are only successful on those that are medically ignorant of drug therapy which most of us are. I wish they are banned but then comes the problem of free speech which is more important than that brand new expensive as hell drug that is no better than another much cheaper. Thus I come down on the side of free speech and not on the side of those damn drug companies that have given us great drugs and have stopped much human suffering.
The drug companies should be sued into oblivion on what they did with Covid. The lied, they manipulated data and made billions with government assured non liability. If sued into oblivion this is not a tragedy. The same scientists and researchers will continue to work for who bought the company at a wholesale price and they will continue their good work.
I have seen drug studies that were manipulated and oddly everything they said in the studies was true. You can set up a drug trial to give the desired outcome. The biggest sin is leaving out information.
This happened with Merck. They produced Vioxx a very effective COX 2 inhibitor non steroidal (like Advil or Motrin) with none of the bad side effects, except a little thing like heart attacks. They paid 4.5 billion dollars in fines. THEY HID DATA! I personally think those behind this should have been charged with manslaughter. Not negligent manslaughter but just plain damn simple manslaughter. They knew!
Years ago I was a newly minted pharmacist. If Merck, Pfizer, Lilly, Astra, Glaxo, etc. said it we believed as they were ethical companies. Today they are not.
Why?
They didn't used to be allowed and there was no issue then. We got along just fine without them then.
Honestly, listening to those ads is what makes me decide to NOT want to go on the drugs they’re trying to sell.
I’d LOVE to see and end of that crap
So, we should keep people uninformed about drugs that will save peoples lives, minimize hospitalizations, and improve peoples lives?
They need to be banned or severely changed - the ads have become lifestyle fairytales instead of ads for drugs and what they can do....and hidden in most are some of the worst side effects, the words, “thought to affect” or, the ubiquitous “It is not known how it works....”
If you think you suffer from some made up illness talk to your doctor and tell him you want....whatever drug will cure it instantly. It does seem like every other ad on tv is for a drug.
Every one hates these ads. I mean everyone. Liberals, conservatives, even non political people hate them.
I think he’s gonna have a hard time with the first amendment on this one...
I agree the marketing of prescription drugs to the public is on its face insane if you think about it. However, the first amendment is not going to go away.
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